Beginnings
by Khiori
Summary: Valeris is released from Gol. And returns to the one friend she ever had. Saavik. (Includes some OC by Kerjen)


The soft chime of the estate's main gate sounded. Saavik paused in the wrestle with a bath protesting Ko'Kan and grimaced. She used her  
forearm to wipe the foaming cleanser from her face and twisted around, keeping a firm grip on the growling sehlat. "Spock!"

No answer.

She sighed. "Setik!"

Her young son peeked around the open doorway cautiously. He eyed the standing puddles on the ancient flooring and the soaked scowl on her face.

"Yes, mother?"

"Where is your father?"

Setik cocked his head. "He went with Grandfather to the Academy."

Saavik felt a vague sense of alarm. "Then who is supervising T'Kel?"

He glanced back over his shoulder.

Saavik sighed. "T'Pren, come here."

The youngest twin reluctantly edged around her brother.

"Where is your sister?"

The girl shifted. "She is talking with our guest."

Saavik stopped. "T'Kel opened the door?"

Setik and T'Pren exchanged a glance. T'Pren swallowed. "She is a very polite guest."

Saavik gave both of her children a displeased stare. "We will rediscuss the importance of this family's security when your father returns." She turned and gave Ko'Kan a narrow eyed look. "If you leave this room, I will personally make your life very difficult."

The sehlat's large eyes widened in sudden innocence.

Saavik pushed off the floor with her palms, giving a disapproving look at her soaked tunic and pants. She shook her hands off, grabbed a towel and padded barefoot down the hall.

T'Pren and Setik hurried after her.

Saavik walked into the central room, wiping her arms down. "I apologize for-"

She stopped so suddenly that both Setik and T'Pren bumped into her and stared up in confused alarm as they heard their mother inhale sharply.

Rocking in Amanda's antique chair, with T'Kel at her side, Valeris' black eyes glinted. "Did I . . . catch you at a bad time?"

Saavik remembered to breathe at the last minute. She blinked hard several times, trying to catch up and blushed darkly. "You . . . did not tell me you were. . . coming."

Valeris inclined her head, the corner of her mouth twitching as she gratefully acknowledged Saavik's rather generous renaming of her release. "It was . . . rather unexpected."

Saavik sat down on the couch opposite, towel in hands forgotten. "Have you . . .?"

Valeris' face tightened momentarily and then she looked away. "I did not come to . . . speak with him."

Saavik abruptly became aware again of her children. She opened her mouth to send them away and then Valeris looked up.

The old carefully held arrogance could not hide the shadows beneath her eyes. Saavik realized that the other's hands were trembling.

Saavik took a deep breath. "Valeris, please meet my children." She motioned Setik forward. He raised his hand properly in greeting. "Setik, my first born."

Valeris' eyes softened at him. "He is very much like . . . him. Except the eyes." Her mouth twitched again. "That would be the Lady Amanda."

"T'Kel."

Valeris' was amused. "This one is all you."

Saavik narrowed her eyes. "And T'Pren."

"Twins." The other looked strangely pleased.

A mournful noise echoed from down the hall.

Saavik grimaced. "That is Ko'Kan. In her bath."

Valeris' eyes glinted. "And she would appear to be as fond of it as you were as a child."

T'Kel leaned closer to Valeris, dark eyes suddenly bright with curiosity. "You knew mother as a child?"

Saavik winced. "No. T'Kel, assist your brother and sister with Ko'Kan."

T'Kel gave her mother a glower but obeyed. As soon as the children were out of hearing, Saavik fixed Valeris with a piercing gaze. "You will not discuss my . . . heritage . . . with the children."

"Illogical." Valeris' eyebrow arched reprovingly. "You cannot hide it forever. They will learn of it eventually."

"Not from you. Is this understood?"

Valeris and Saavik locked eyes.

Valeris bowed.

They looked at each other for a long moment. At last Valeris lowered her eyes to her long fingers.

"Thank you," Valeris said quietly, "for the . . . contact."

Saavik looked away. "Unnecessary. We . . . were friends."

A bitterness that was truly terrible burned in the black eyes. "You were the only one who ever came. Your comm recordings were the only ones that ever-." Her lips twisted. "An irony."

Saavik shook her head. "Then I grieve with thee."

Valeris looked away. "I . . . am dead to them." Her long fingers caressed the worn wood of the chair. "Even after . . . Gol's . . . rebuilding."

Then Saavik understood the reason the other was here. And the almost shadow of . . . bracing . . . in the petite woman's body language. "You need a place to begin again."

Valeris' knuckles whitened ever so slightly in her lap and Saavik knew Valeris expected to be turned away. Knew that she deserved it. Earned it. But ever so desperately needed the Vulcan equivalent of a miracle. To have someone who mattered to her, the last someone who _she_ mattered _to_ , give her the impossible seeming second chance. To dare if not forgive, then to allow a new beginning.

Saavik was silent a long time, remembering all the pain. And then she closed her eyes and took a deep cleansing breath. Valeris had deserved justice, even vengeance. And received it. Years of isolation. Years of rehabilitation. Years of shame. But even justice and vengeance could not rightfully last forever. It had taken Saavik many years to learn the concept of mercy. But she had learned it. For the Romulans. For the Klingons. For herself. Now it was time to see if she had learned it for Valeris. Saavik looked into those black eyes. Saw everything that was between them. And that Valeris. . .genuinely grieved. Softly, Saavik nodded once. "Who am I to question the work of Gol? You will stay here for as long as you require." She rose. "I will  
show you to your room."

Valeris stared up at her, gripping the chair's ancient wood hard, as if it were the only thing keeping her upright.

Saavik straightened her shoulders, preparing herself for the task ahead as she would any expected battle, but allowed her gaze to rest gently on Valeris. "I could not save you before. But I can give you place to save yourself."

The other had to look away. Her voice was barely above a whisper. "What of . . . him?"

Saavik stilled. "He will survive."

Valeris breathed out. "He will be . . . displeased with you."

Saavik ran a hand through still damp hair. "It will not be the first time." Her jaw firmed. "And it is time he . . . dealt . . . with you."

Valeris paled and eyed the door.

Saavik's mouth twitched. "I owe him a . . . discomfort equal to his Reunification." Then she sobered. "He is a different man. Allow him to seek what you would ask of him. Your presence is proof Gol claims that you are healed. Show him. Show me."

Valeris swallowed. "You . . . would . . . agree to be . . . friends?"

"I have always agreed to be friends. I have waited for you to agree with me again."

Valeris looked down at her hands. "I am in your debt."

"After you have spent some time with T'Kel, I believe the debt will be mine. Now come, I will show you to your room."

Spock was white lipped. Still in the heavy formal robes and jewels, his presence was suddenly formidable in the kitchen. "You will tell me the logic of this decision."

Saavik moved the crisp lae't roots to the hot grill with practiced ease. "No."

Spock actually blinked. "I beg your pardon?"

Saavik inclined her head, adding the hot sweet spices to the crackling lae't. "Accepted."

He gave her a look that echoed his father all too well.

Saavik gave him one right back that was purely his mother.

Spock sighed and conceded a temporary defeat.

Saavik stirred their dinner with a swift sideways roll of the grill. "Ko'Kan is at her veterinary appointment. You will need to retrieve her shortly."

Spock nodded. Then stiffened. "The children are unsupervised?"

Saavik gave him a stern glower. "I am not lacking in intelligence, husband." She stirred the lae't calmly. "Valeris is watching over them."

Spock paled. "Saavik!"

Saavik began shifting the grilled food to smooth wide bowls. "You are being illogical."

Spock's eyes widened. " _I?_ "

She handed him two of the bowls to carry to the table. "With her scores, she is more than capable of commanding a fleet, let alone three small children. Retrieve the juice when you are done, Spock"

He didn't move. "These are our children."

"I have fully apprised her of their tendencies."

Spock closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I was referring to the small fact that Valeris cannot be _trusted_." He opened his eyes and gave her a firm glower. "You seem remarkably unconcerned about the safety of your offspring."

Saavik gave him a look that could have melted a hole through a starship's hull. "You are beginning to disturb my patience."

"As I recall, she murdered two of her own crewmen and nearly plunged the entire Federation into war with the Klingon Empire!"

Saavik's eyes turned icy. "Hypocrisy does not become you, husband."

Spock's spine snapped straight. "I have not-"

"Reunification."

Spock stopped. And flushed a dark bronze green. His head lowered. He put the bowls on the table and went for the juice.

Saavik stopped him, one hand resting lightly on his arm. She waited until he lifted his gaze to her's. "I do not discount your pain. But if there is no ability to leave the past, why did you bother freeing me of Hellguard?"

He gently brushed her chin with his fingers. "I have not been . . . as careful with your heart in Reunification as I ought."

Saavik's mouth curved ever so slightly in dry humor. "I appear to be surviving."

"You are a better Vulcan than I."

Saavik touched his face ever so lightly with her fingertips. "Unlikely. As I recall, I had a similar reaction the first time you broached the subject of Reunification."

He took a deep breath. "I will . . . try to . . . allow the change."

"She is very afraid, Spock."

A very real grief filled his dark eyes. "I . . . did not treat her well." He looked at Saavik. "I have truly regretted it since."

"I know."

He tilted his head. "How?"

Saavik leaned forward and gave the breath of a kiss on his nose. "You have a better soul than I. Now get the juice, I will inform them that it is time for meal."

T'Kel sat cross legged on the ground and studied the communicator's parts absently. "Did you know Mother in Starfleet?"

Valeris touched the yellow rose nearest her. Remembering the woman who had planted them here with quiet pain. "Yes."

"Are you a better officer than she is?"

Setik's eyes widened. "T'Kel!"

Valeris' mouth twitched. She sat down on the carved stone bench. "That has been a source of . . . debate . . . since we met." Her eyes sobered and she looked away. "However . . . I assure you, your mother proved herself the better . . . in all things." She cleared her throat. "And I am no longer an officer. I have not been  
for . . . a long time."

T'Kel almost frowned. "Why not?"

This time her twin gave her the correcting glower. "T'Kel!"

Valeris' mouth wanted very much to quirk. "Yes, you are very much your mother."

T'Kel left her dissembled communicator and joined Valeris on the stone bench. "Mother does not speak often of the past."

"And I appear to you to be a suitable source of information?" Valeris lifted a wryly bitterly amused eyebrow.

"She is going to get you into trouble," warned Setik.

"Of that, I have no doubt. The question is, which _one?_ " said Saavik dryly.

All three children flinched guiltily and looked over to where their mother had appeared.

Valeris' fair skin paled slightly but she managed to clear her throat again. "That is as disconcerting a habit now as it was before."

"I know." Saavik fixed a steady gaze on T'Kel. "It is time for meal." The children obediently filed out, T'Kel giving a last longing look at their new House guest. Saavik resisted the urge to sigh. She looked back at Valeris. "He is home."

Valeris' fingers shook suddenly and she looked down at them, forcing them to be still. "I will not harm nor bring harm to your House. On my . . . on my . . . ." She swallowed.

"I accept your Oath of Honor."

Valeris looked up, stunned.

"You have honor, Valeris, if you choose to keep it."

Valeris' had to blink black eyes hard to keep them properly clear and when she looked up at Saavik, the other woman saw the light burning in their dark depths. "I will," she vowed. "I _will_."

And Saavik knew at last that Valeris would.

It brought something to Saavik's heart that she had thought long gone forever. And for the first time in decades, Saavik genuinely _wanted_ to smile. "I know," she said softly.

And the two women looked at each other and found that they were now at something very close to what they once had been.

"Come eat at my table, Valeris." Saavik said gently, "Sit at my right hand and have peace at last."

Valeris looked up at Saavik and all the years of bitter shadows and dark shame that had etched themselves in the once smooth lines of her face seemed to fade away and she seemed suddenly as young and full of hopeful possibilities again as when they had first met so long ago. Slowly Valeris straightened into attention and then formally bowed to Saavik. "I will prove worthy of the effort you have expended upon me. This I swear, _I swear!_ "

And Saavik truly believed it.

It brought something to Saavik's heart that she had thought long gone forever and for the first time in decades, Saavik genuinely _wanted_ to smile. "Then come and break your bread with me and mine, as is your right once more as friend."

"You honor me," Valeris said, her voice hoarse.

Saavik's eyes glinted in dry humor. "You may not think so after you have sampled  
my culinary skills."

And Valeris' lips quirked.


End file.
